Venetian blind



E. A. OLSON VENETIAN BLIND Nov; 5, 1946.-

2 Sheets-Sheet l EDWIN A. OLSON er WMY Wm ATTORNEYS E. A. OLSON' VENETIAN BLIND Nov. 5, 1946.

Filed July I51, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EDWIN A OLSON B) ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 5, i946 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,410,549 VENETIAN BLIND Edwin A. Olson, Los Angeles, Calif. Application July 31. 1945, Serial No. 607,924 '6 Claims. (cl. 160-34) This invention relates to Venetian blinds which are the type of blinds formed with a plurality of horizontally disposed parallel slats, which are flexibly united and spaced apart by means of vertically suspended flexible tapes.

In blinds of this type it is customary'to raise and lower the same by means of a pull cord arranged at one side of the blind and to angularly adjust the slats to vary the light admitting area by a second pull cord at the opposite side of the blind.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide an improved Venetian blind in which raisingand lowering the blind and angularly adjusting the slats may be effected by nianipulation of a single control element.

is exemplifiedin the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a blind constructed in accordance with my present inven tion, showing the head casing removed to more 7 clearly disclose the blind operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view through the head casing, showing certain features of construction.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the blind and the head casing, disclosing the manner of construction of my improved blind.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken through the center of the slat adjustment pulley.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the latch member.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of one of the slats employed.

ing drawings, I0 indicates a Venetian blind com prised of a rigid head casing I l which may be arranged transversely at the head of a window and secured to the frame thereof so as to dispose the mounted in the end plates is in a manner permitting the head rail to revolve about a horizontal axis. At one end the head rail is formed with a fixed pulley IS, the operating face of which is concentric to the pintle l8 and the axis of rotation of the head rail H.

At the lower end the blind is formed with a bottom rail 20 connected with the top rail by spaced flexible tapes 2| as in usual practice. Longitudinally disposed parallel slats 22 are disposed at spaced intervals between the head rail l1 and the bottom rail 20 and are supported between the tapes 2| by means of flexible transverse tapes 23 fastened at their ends, of course, to the interior surfaces of the suspended flexible tapes 2 I.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the' Y blind a raising and lowering cord 24 is provided,

one end of which is secured to the bottom rail 20 at a point 25. From this point, the raising and lowering cord extends vertically through the slats and through the head rail l1, and thence about a pulley 26, then longitudinally over a pulley 21, thence downwardly through a hollow adjustment pulley 28 and is secured to an operating element 29. The adjustment pulley 28 rotates about a vertical axis and is mounted in the casing H for such operation.

A second raising and lowering cord 24a is fastened to the bottom rail as at 25a and extends vertically upward through the slats and through the head rail IT and thence over a pulley 26a and a pulley 21a and downwardly through the adjustment pulley 28 and fastened to the control element 29.

The length of the raising and lowering cords 24 and 24a is such that when the blind is in fully extended position, the control element of handle 29 is in a position with its upper end telescoped into a socket 30 formed as an.extension oi the lower end of the pulley 28. This socket has a square socket opening therein snugly fltting a complemental square end II on the upper end of the control element or handle 29. Thus, when the portion 3| of the control element 29 is projected into the socket 30, the control element may be rotated to effect rotation of the adjustment pulley 28. Such rotation of the adjustment pulley eflects angular adjustment or the slats.

This is accomplished by fastening one end of an adjustment cord 32 to the pulley 28 and giving it several turns thereabout, then leading said cord over a pulley 33, winding the same about the pulley IS on the head rail l'l, leading said cord from said pulley over a pulley 34, and thence winding it around the adjustment pulley 28 and fastening it thereto. The two ends of cord 32 are connected to pulley 28 from diametrically opposite sides thereof so that as one end of said cord winds onto pulley 28 the other end unwinds therefrom. Because of the provision of the adjustment cable 32 and its connection with the pulley ID, as described, rotation of the pulley 28 about its vertical axis will cause turning movement of the pulley l9 about its horizontal axis, and, consequently, angular adjustment of the head rail l1, the bottom rail 20 and the intervening slats 22 will be efl'ected as in the normal operation of Venetian blinds.

It will be seen that the pulleys 28 21, 28a and 21a are rotatably mounted in brackets suspended from the top wall 12 of'the head casing ll.. These pulleys are rotatable about horizontal axes.

The pulleys 33 and 34 are rotatably supported in brackets fixed to the front wall l4 of the casing II and revolve about a vertical axis as shown.

From the ioregoingit is obvious that when the control element or handle 23 is pulled downwardly, it will cause the raising and lowering cords 24 and 24a to elevate the bottom rail 28 and thus collapse the blind into a small and compact condition at the bottom of the head casing II. This collapsing, of course, is permitted because of the provision of the flexible tapes 2| which connect the head rail II to the bottom rail 20 and which supports the slats at spaced intervals therebetween.

It is seen that the raising and lowering cords 24 and 24a are the medium for maintaining the slats 22 in correct endwise position between the tapes 2|. For this purpose the slats are slotted from the center transversely out through one longitudinal edge, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the slots being indicated by the numeral 22a. By merely turning a slat 22 approximately ninety degrees when the blind is in the condition shown in Fig. 1, such turning will disengage the slots 22a from the cords 24 and 24a and enable the slat to be i moved endwise from theblind assembly. This enables the slats to be quickly and easily removed for cleaning or redecorating. Obviously, such operation does not require the removal of any mechanical fastening means, nor necessitate an entire disassembly of the blind.

I also provide means for latching the blind in collapsed condition or in a partly collapsed condition. This is effected by means of a latch member 35 which is pivoted as at 38 within the socket 30 just above the squared portion thereof. This latching means is in efiect a one way clutch, so that on a downward pull of the cords 24 and 24a, the clutch is ineil'ective to clutch the cords 24 and 24a to the interior wall of the socket 30. However, the latch member 35 will effect such clutch-.- ing operation when the cords 24 and 24a attempt to move upwardly. However. to move the cords the center of the socket, the latch member 35 becomes eflective to latch the blind against further extending movement.

In operation of the device, the blind is constructed and assembled substantially as illustrated and described and the casing II is mounted on the head rail of the window. In this condition the squared end 3| of the control element 23 is telescoped within the squared end of the socket 30. By merely turning the control element 28 about its longitudinal axis, angular adjustment of the slats may be effected to vary the area of the light admitting opening. When the control element 25 is so turned or rotated, the adjustment pulley 28 is rotated simultaneously therewith, which, through the adjustment cord 32, imparts turning movement to the pulley i8 and angularly adjusts the head rail I! about its pintles I8. This angular adjustment of the head rail I1 is accompanied, of course, by similar angular adjustment of the bottom rail and the slats 22. If it is desired to collapse the blind, it is only necessary to pull downwardly on the control ele-. ment or handle 29, which pulls the bottom rail 20 upwardly through the cords 24 and 24a. When the blind has been collapsed a desired amount, the cords 24 and 24a are allowed a slight amount of upward movement in the socket 30, which will enable the clutch 35 to become effective and latch the blind in that condition, as described.

If it is desired to further collapse the blind, a'

pull is again exerted on the handle 29 to collapse the blind to the additional desired extent.

If it is desired to lower the blind or extend the same,'a slight pull is exerted on the handle or control element 29 and the cords 24 and 24a just above the handle are moved by the handle radially inward of the socket 30 to render the clutch ineffective. The cords 24 and 24a in this position are then allowed to ascend as the blind lowers. The blind will, of course, lower due to the weight of the bottom rail 20 and the slats 22.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an improved Venetian blind wherein raising and lowering and angular adjustment of the slats thereof is effected through the medium of a single control element. Manifestly, the blind here disclosed is of simple construction and can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

While I have shown the preferred form of my 60 invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from'the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A Venetian blind comprising a head casing, a head rail pivotally mounted therein, a bottom rail, flexible connections between the head rail and the bottom rail, a plurality of slats supported by said flexible connections between the head and bottom rails, cables fixed to the bottom rail and projecting vertically through the slats and head rail, pulleys carried by the casing over which said cables are led, an operating element movable rail, flexible connections between the head rail and the bottom rail. a plurality of slats supported by said flexible connections between the head and bottom rails, cables flxed to the bottom rail and projecting vertically through the slats and head rail, pulleys carried by the casing over which said cables are led, an operating element movable vertically with respect to the blind and disposed and the bottom rail, a plurality of slats supported by said flexible connections between the head and bottom rails, cables fixed to the bottom rail and projecting vertically through the slats and head rail, pulleys carried by the casing over which said cables are led, an operating element movable vertically with respect to the blind and disposed at one side thereof to which said cables are secured whereby vertical movement of the operating element will selectively collapse and extend are secured whereby vertical movement of the operating element will selectively collapse and extend the blind, an adjustment pulley disposed at one end of the casing with its axis vertically disposed, a socket member relatively fixed to said pulley and depending therefrom, a cable connection betweenQsaid adjustment pulley and the head rail whereby turning of the adjustment pulley will effect pivoting of the head rail, said operating element having a portion engaging said socket when the blind is extended to rotate the adjustment pulley and effect pivoting of the head rail.

5. 'A Venetian blind comprising a head casing,

rail, flexible depending connections between the head rail and the bottom rail, a plurality of slate removably supported by said flexible connections between the head and bottom rails, raising and lowering cables fixed to the bottom rail and projecting vertically through the slats and head rail, pulleys carried by the casing over which said cables are led, an operating element to which said cables are secured, a vertically arranged hollow pulley mounted in the head casing at one side of the blind and downwardly through which said cables are led to the operating element, a socket relatively flxed on said adjustment pulley and forming an extension thereof, the raising and lowering cables being of a length when the blind is extended to cause projection of a portion of the operating element into said socket, cable the blind, a pulley fixed on the head rail, an

adjustment pulley disposed adjacent one end of the casing with its axis vertically arranged, a socket member relatively fixed to said pulley and depending therefrom, a cable connection between the pulley on the head rail and said adjustment pulley whereby turning of the adjustment pulley will be accompanied by tilting of the head rail, said operating element having a portion engageabie with said socket when the blind is extended to rotate the adjustment pulley'and eilect tilting of the head rail.

4. A Venetian blind comprising a head casing. a head rail pivotally mounted therein. a bottom rail, flexible connections between the head rail I and the bottom rail, a plurality of slats supported v connections between said adjustment pulley and said head rail whereby turning of the adjustment pulley by means of the operating element when the latter is engaged therewith will eifect pivoting of the head rail.

6. A Venetian blind comprising a head casing, a headrail pivotally mounted therein. a bottom rail, flexible depending connections between the head rail and thebottom rail, a plurality of slats removably supported by said flexible connections between the head and bottom rails, raising and lowering cables fixed to the bottom rail and pro- I jecting vertically through the slate and head rail, pulleys carried by the casing over which said cables are led. an operating element to which said cables are secured. a vertically arranged hollowpulley mounted in the head casing at one side of the blind and downwardly through which said cables are led to the operating element. a socket relatively fixed on said adjustment pulley and forming an extension thereof, the raising and lowering cables being of a length when the blind is extended to cause projection of a portion of the operating element into said socket, cable connections between said adjustment pulley and said head railwhereby turning of the adjustment pulry by means of the operating element when the latter is engaged therewith will efiect pivoting of the head rail. and clutch means-in the socket EDWIN A. OLSON. 

